Spring Asparagus

Seattle farmers markets are showcasing the newest items of the season: rhubarb, strawberries, radishes, peas, and piles upon piles of asparagus.

The easiest and most-satisfying method to prepare fresh asparagus? I like to steam and blanch them. Placing their skinny stems in an ice bath halts the cooking so that their crisp, crunchy texture is retained throughout the middle and tips of their bodies.

The finishing touch? Adding a squeeze of lemon and a couple pinches of Nicoise Olive salt to accentuate their natural characteristics.

I wouldn't have my salty stems any other way.

Seattle Times NWSource feature

What's in your bag of tricks in the kitchen? Finishing salts are our secret stash in the cupboard.
Flavored salts make it easy to be gourmet, adding that extra pinch in a dash to any dish.

NWSource thinks so, too: Shake Up Your Cooking with a Gourmet Sprinkle

Chorizo salt, Seattle, & Shauna

Gluten Free Girl, Shauna Ahern is another reason to love Seattle. She's always an entertaining read, and one who makes me appreciate the Emerald City even more than I already do.

Her passion for local food comes alive in her writing, as she interweaves slices of a simple island lifestyle with her husband Danny and their beautiful baby Lucy into a bigger slice of the American cherry pie.

Yet what I love most about Shauna's writing is what she doesn't say, and that----is the sign of a truly gifted writer.

Fall in love with Shauna. I dare you. We already have.

"Raise your hand if you like salt. Now, raise your hand if you like chorizo.

The Chorizo salt is our favorite one of their flavors. Have you heard of Bacon salt? Now, we don’t like to disparage other producers. Bacon salt has become popular, so many people seem to love them. But, did you know that there’s not really any bacon in bacon salt? In its place is MSG, autolyzed yeast extract, disodium inosinate (I don’t actually know what that is), and wheat flour. (That doesn’t work for those of us who are gluten-free.) 23 ingredients in Bacon Salt, and not one of them is bacon?

Hm.

The Secret Stash Sea Salt Chorizo salt, on the other hand, has five ingredients: kosher salt, chorizo, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and granulated garlic.

And it tastes? .... " -- Shauna Ahern

Smoked Chipotle Chicken

Grilling a whole chicken brings out flavors that are unlike any other method of preparation. The smokiness imparted by the barbie combined with the racy heat of Smoked Chipotle salt brings the bird to the party. It's summer-time. There's no reason not to get out, grill, and drink a beer or Bloody Mary while doing so.

Recipe

1. Remove giblets from the cavity and rinse the bird under cold water. Pat dry with a paper towel, and season both the inside and out of the bird with Smoked Chipotle salt.

2. Fire up the grill, or turn your gas grill burner to high heat. Thoroughly clean the grill grate, and thinly coat the grill with extra virgin olive oil. Place the bird breast-side down. Cook covered for about 35-40 minutes.

3. Uncover, and flip the bird breast-side up, continuing to grill it until the skin turns golden brown and the meat is cooked through, about another 35-40 minutes.

4. Check for doneness by cutting into the middle of a piece of chicken. The juices should run clear when you cut into the thickest part of the piece. Alternatively, pierce chicken pieces with a meat thermometer. When thermometer shows they have reached an internal temperature of 170 degrees F, the bird is done.

Gravlax & Almond Cardamom salt

Kelly Lenihan writes, "Gravlax is a Scandinavian dish consisting of raw salmon cured in salt, sugar, and dill. As the salmon cures, by the action of osmosis, the moisture turns the dry cure into a highly concentrated brine. A light bulb went off -- who needs dill? Salmon cured in a flavor-infused salt seemed like the perfect marriage to me! On a mission, I went to the Ballard Farmer's Market last Sunday and picked up a jar of Almond Orange Cardamom salt. I covered my salmon in a salt-sugar mixture, added a splash of Pernod and wrapped the fish into nice little packet, placed it in the fridge and voilà, 48 hours later I had a delicious gravlax."

For Kelly's natural interpretation on a 'centuries-old standard,' take a peak: http://www.examiner.com/x-7067-Seattle-Food-Examiner~y2009m5d7-Gravlax-a-new-twist-on-an-old-favorite

Kelly is a woman who wears many a hat. Her Savory Seattle blog is one. The Seattle Supper Club is another she sails around town in. She sports the latter sombrero amidst a social dining circle, of both new and old friends, that gather in celebration of the food and copious drink that Seattle prides itself upon. Like Kelly's take on Gravlax, it's fresh, fun, and what can make Seattle more special than it already is. You should join her. I did.

Momma's who Review

To all the Momma's who cook: thank you for making the world a better place. We can only hope our salts save you time in the kitchen, like a quick short-cut that adds extra oomph to everything you already do.

Momma's Review says,

"The Vanilla salt is great on bittersweet chocolate pudding and chocolate chip cookies; Soy is perfect for beef stew; Pineapple Cumin tingles the taste buds on barbecue chicken. All of the flavors add a delicious bite and wonderful texture to scrambled eggs."

http://www.mommasreview.com/?p=1979

Today's Candy

We're elated to be featured on DailyCandy, an online national site known for "what's hot, new, and undiscovered." The secret's always been in the salt, but now it's out.

http://www.dailycandy.com/everywhere/article/42983/Periodic+Table+Salt

Steamed Clams with Wine & Chorizo salt

This savory recipe is from one of our most adored salt supporters, Ms. Diehl. Thank you(!) for sharing, Helen.

Steamed Clams with Wine & Chorizo Salt

Yield: Makes 2 servings

Active time: 20 min, start to finish: 35 min

Serve these clams with some crusty bread for sopping up the sauce, or spoon them over linguine or rice.

Ingredients:

- 1 medium onion,

- chopped 1 yellow bell pepper

- chopped 1 garlic clove, minced (Helen used MORE, of course!)

- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds*

- Chorizo salt

- 2 tablespoons olive oil

- 3/4 cup dry white wine

- 2 lb littleneck clams (2 inches wide), scrubbed

- 1/4 lb dried Spanish chorizo links, cut into 1/4-inch dice (Helen used additional chorizo, and even had some SPECK that she threw in too)

- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

Preparation:

1. Cook onion, bell pepper, garlic, cumin, and salt in oil in a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 7 to 9 minutes. Stir in wine and bring to a boil.

2. Add clams and chorizo, then boil, covered, until clams open, 7 to 8 minutes. (Discard any clams that are not open after 9 minutes.) Season with pepper and stir in cilantro.

* If you don't have cumin seeds, Helen used ground cumin as an agreeable substitute.

Molly's Chocolate Ganache Macarooons

Seattle has no shortage of talent when it comes to good food, and writers. But there are few who entice the mind and palate equally as well. Molly Wizenberg is one. If her delectable recipes don't steal your heart, her words and charm will in 'A HomeMade Life.' It's more than a good read about food, Paris, the past, and the present. It's what makes food memorable for her, for those who cook, and the stories that interlink family, friends, and lovers. Not ready to take the leap? Swing by her angelic blog, Orangette, for a sneak peak of her writing.

Coconut Macaroons with Chocolate Ganache, courtesy of Molly Wizenberg

(p. 94, A Homemade Life)

Ingredients:

- 3 cups lightly packed sweetened shredded coconut

- 3/4 cup sugar

- 3/4 egg whites (from about 5 large eggs)

- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped*

- 1/2 cup heavy cream

Macaroons:

1. Place coconut, sugar, and egg whites in a saucepan. Stir well. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, 10-15 minutes. Stop cooking when mixture no longer appears creamy, but is sticky and moist, not dry. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.

2. Scrape the mixture into a separate bowl, and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.

3. Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.

4. Using a small spoon, ice cream scoop, or your hands, evenly space coconut mixture onto baking sheet. Bake the macaroons until evenly golden, about 30 minutes. Let them cool completely, and remove them from the baking sheet.

Chocolate Ganache:

1. Put the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally until it is hot and steaming. Do not allow it to boil.

2. Remove the pan from the heat, and pour the cream over the chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Spoon the warm ganache generously over the macaroons.

3. Refrigerate the macaroons until the ganache sets, at least 2 hours.

Secret Stash addition:

1. Save some extra sweetened shredded coconut flakes to sprinkle atop each macaroon before the ganache sets.

2. Finsih macaroons with a generous two sprinkles of Coconut Garam Masala fleur de sel.**

* Molly's favorite chocolate for this recipe is Valrhona Manjar 64%. Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate, 60% Cacao is a nice substitute.

** Vanilla salt is another stunning alternative.

Gluten Free Girl Review

The wonderful and beautiful Seattle author--- Shauna Ahern --- and her husband, Chef Daniel, are fans of our salts. We smile at the thought of others who are just as passionate about good food, and locally-sourced items.

http://glutenfreegirlrecommends.blogspot.com/2009/03/secret-stash-sea-salts.html

Video Clip of farmer's market

The lovely Lorna Yee, of the Cookbook Chronicles, sums up the Ballard Farmers Market in a short, fun video clip. Some of our favorites that are featured? Oyster Bill, of course.


Click, watch, and cook.


http://www.thecookbookchronicles.com/blog/?p=604

Chorizo Potato Soup

I made this dish for a soup party last weekend and was having such a good time, that I forgot to photograph it. Out of 12 competing soups, it took second place. Though it didn't win the prized bottle of Pinot, it warmed our insides and made us smile.

Players:
- 5 large potatoes, any variety
- 1 (3- to 4-ounce) link of Spanish chorizo (or bacon)
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 medium onion, chopped fine
- 6 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 lemon (freshly squeezed juice)
- 1 tsp Hunan red chili sauce (or any hot sauce, chili pepper flakes, etc)
- 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
- sour cream to garnish (1 tbs for each portion)

Recipe:
1. Wash and scrub potatoes well and knick out eyes and dark spots. Do not peel. Dice into cubes and place with chicken stock in a heavy 3 quart saucepan. Cover and cook at medium heat for about 5-7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook covered until potatoes are tender but not mushy, about 25-30 minutes.
2. Saute onions with olive oil in large saucepan until tender and caramelized. Add garlic and saute until it browns. Add milk and cream. Cook mixture over medium heat until near boiling.
3. Saute chorizo in separate pan with olive oil until it takes on a golden brown hue.
4. Add chorizo, onions, and milk to potato saucepan. Add 1 tsp hunan chili sauce and lemon juice to soup. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30-45 minutes.
5. Before serving, garnish individual portions with a dollop of sour cream. Sprinkle 2-3 tsp or desired amount of Chorizo salt atop sour cream.

Olympia oysters, otra vez

Oysters, oOh, yes. Oyster Bill and his penny-size Olympia's take center stage again. We went through 2 dozen of these briny bad boys, and were still drooling for more.

We tried a trio with our Bloody Mary salt for kicks only to affirm what I thought'd be the outcome: oysters as fresh as Taylor Shellfish are best left nude. Though a smidge of lemon pulp adds a citrusy tang, there's no reason to ruin a perfect oyster before it goes down the shute.

Infusing flavors into raw oysters may be more of a trend than not. Last time I shot some olympias at 'Anchovies and Olives' , they too were dressed, but with raw ginger.

Pie photo play-day-away

When my sweet tooth is bigger than my salty tongue, I saunter on over to Deborah (of Deborah's Pies) at the Ballard Farmers Market. She's just as sweet as her Bumble Berry pies that weigh in at 2.9lbs.

Filled with just enough juicy raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries, it'll take your sweet tooth for a ride until you can snatch another on Sunday. If you can't stomach a 3-pounder, she sells them by the slice and can be reached for pre-orders at 206-542-1860.

Inspired by the berry, we're currently working on a new salt.... to the tune of Cherry.

Red Quinoa Breakfast

Skipping breakfast ought to be a sin. I never step foot out-the-door without fueling my tank to drive my day.

When I was young, breakfast was Lucky Charms or packaged, processed pastries. I blame none other than myself in a pantry-filled kitchen, stocked to the brim with far healthier, satisfying choices. Shame on me too for having a mother who was a dietitian. I deserve a slap and spanking for that.

Red Quinoa, tomato-cucumber Kick-Egg start w/Nicoise Olive salt

1. Rinse a 1/4 cup of quinoa thoroughly and drain. Add 1 cup of water to a sauce pan and bring to a boil.

2. Reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer until all the water has evaporated.

3. Heat another saute pan, gently cracking 1-2 eggs in pan. Watch closely so that the yellow yolk does not get hard, though this is dependent upon your preference. The longer you cook an egg, the harder the yellow yolk will be, and the crispier the white will become. Cooking the egg less will give you a runnier yolk, allowing more flavor to disperse and break atop the quinoa.

4. Slice cucumbers and tomatoes to desired amount and degree of thinness.

5. Garnish with Nicoise Olive salt.

Beets marry Vanilla salt

It is nearly impossible to satiate my craving for beets. From soups to roasted chunks, they are like a bad habit I cannot kick. I attribute this to my love of dirt. I can only guess that such a fondness for the smell of dusty, earthy dirt must have come from my father's love of gardening.

Though I hated planting heaps of flowers and moving ridiculously heavy pots under the hot California sun, I was secretly enamored by the whiff of a new bag of dirt, and just as captivated by the packed soil that nourished a previous seed.

Like soil and clay, a wine that says "dirt-packed barnyard" sends a signal to my brain, clicking the "on" button. Call me a filthy chiquilla, but a terroir-driven Cab Franc from the Loire valley makes me happy as a clam. It's the dirt.

Roasted Beet recipe:

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Wash 5-6 large beets, trimming the stems. Cut beets into large chunks, cutting off skins.

2. Place chunky beets on a sheet pan with tin foil, and coat beets with extra virgin olive oil. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until tender (when pierced with a fork).

3. Remove from oven and let cool. Once beets are room temperature, toss again with extra virgin olive oil.*

4. Sprinkle Vanilla salt to finish for a dirty, salty, sweet bouquet.

* I coated my beets with an almond oil that was gifted to me (in above trio photo). Tourangelle stocks beautifully-flavored, aromatic French oils. Flavors run the gamut, from Pistachio to Avocado to Grapeseed to Sunflower, and even Pumpkin Seed.

Salty Nuts

In need of an app to bring to a party? A quick snack to take to a flick? Roasted almonds with Lavender Rosemary salt is my go-to, get-together-dish regardless of the occasion. It's simple, easy, cheap, and always a hit.

And even better is that it pairs with bubbly, beer, or a glass of wine. At the theatre.

Roasted Almonds* Recipe:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Unleash raw almonds onto baking sheet, and generously coast with olive oil.

3. Place sheet in oven and roast for 22-25 minutes, turning occasionally until they are a dark, golden brown.

4. Take out of oven, and sprinkle nuts with Lavender Rosemary salt* while still hot.

* Pecans and walnuts are great substitutes.

** Almond Cardamom salt works equally as well.

Taiwanese Salt their Coffee

TAIPEI (Reuters) - "Taiwanese java fans accustomed to pouring sugar into their coffee now have the option of flavoring their brew with another white powder: sea salt.

Taipei's buzzing 85C Bakery Cafe is offering a T$40 ($1.15) drink which melts sea salt into the coffee foam to give a more complex mouthful for customers constantly seeking out the new in the island's competitive coffeehouse market.

The cafe chain expects salt to hold, said company's publicity director Kathy Chung. The cafe's 326 stores islandwide have sold about 15,000 cups of salted drinks since the concept was introduced in December, Chung said."

http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE51P16420090226

Can't say I'm surprised. I sprinkled caramel salt on a latte a month ago. I will, however, admit that I prefer sugar-in-the-raw for its sweet taste and coarse crunch.

But that's my morning foam.